Improvement in earth-boring machines



A. W. MORGAN.

EARTH-BORING MACHINE.

Patented 'Aug. 1, 1876.

N.PETERS, PHQTO'LJTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C- U ITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALFRED W. MORGAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EARTH-BORING- MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,493, dated August 1, 1876; application filed July 10, 1876.

-' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. MORGAN,

. of Indianapolis, county of Marion, State of 111- diana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Post-Hole Boring Machinery, of which the following is a description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing.

The object of my invention is to bore postholes at regular distances by machinery; and my invention consists of the construction and arrangement of devices, as fully set forth in the claims. v

Figure 1 represents an elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spacing attachment. Fig. 4 represents the spacing attachment in one of the post-holes. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the auger and auger-shaft, showing the movable auger-point, and the means by which air is admitted to the bottom of the auger while in the hole to allow the auger to be withdrawn with its load of earth.

The frame of my post-hole machine is composed of the two sills A A, which are rounded 011' at each end similar to a sled runner, the cross-sills B B, the upright corner-posts O C, the top frame E E, and guide-posts D D, as shown. .The top frame is also secured and prevented from becoming loose by means of the tie-rodsff, as shown in Fig. 2. Between the guide-posts D D, which are set wide apart, is suspended the cross-head F, on which are secured two castings, G and Q. The casting G is formed with journal-boxes G G2 for the crank-shaft H to operate in, and also a socketbearing, G, for the upper end of the augershaft to operatein. ()n the shaft'I-I is the crank H at one end, and the miter-wheel P at the other, and a sheave, P attached to the shaft -H or miter-wheel P, as shown. The shaft H is provided with two grooves, K K, in which the lever L can be operated to either hold the miter-wheel P in or out of gear with miter-wheel P The ratchet J is also secured to the shaft H, and the pawl M is designed to hold the shaft and cross-head in any desired forated at v, and the lifter c is here attached to the inside rod U at n. The lower end of the rod U is enlarged, as at 6, so as to fill the pipe U, and below the part c the endof the rod is formed into a twisted bit,- I). The upper edges of the twisted par-t engage with notches or a clutch formed at the bottom of the tube U. The auger-bits w w are attached as shown in Fig. 1, having the two diamond-shaped points a a on a line with each other, and at opposite sides. The casting Q. is also attached to the cross-head F, as shown, and is provided with an upright hearing, Q, for the shaft 8 to operate in. The lower end of the shaft 8 operates in a socket formed in the cross-head F, and on the shaft above the cross-head is secured the spur-wheel 0, having the miter-wheel P above. The spur-wheel O meshes in gear with the pinion N on the auger-shaft U, as shown, and the miter-wheel P meshes in gear withthe miterwheel P on shaft H, asshown. The shaft 'S passes through a ball, T, which operates in a. socket, R R, attached to the top frame E, in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement allows the cross-head F to be adjusted to any angle required, either sidewise or endwise, so as to allow the auger-bit w w and shaft U to stand perpendicular at all times, whether theframe of the machine is on the side of a hill or on level ground. The endsot' the cross-head F can be provided with rollers on each side to engage with the inside of the guides D D, to ease the friction of the crosshead as the auger'is entering the ground or being withdrawn therefrom. The upper end of the shaft S is made to receive the sweep S, and may be operated by hand or horse power, as required. The Windlass V V V? has a rope, 0, attached thereto, and passes under a roller or sheave on the sill B, and is attached to a stake in advance of the machine, on a line of the fence, to move the machine ahead when required. the frame E, or passes over apulley attached thereto, and further attached to the crosshead F, and is operated by the crank H and shaft H and sheaves P to raise or lower the cross-head, as required.

The spacing attachment W (shown in Fig. 3) is constructed similar to the form shownthat is, the two arms 9 g are arranged to be The rope P is attached to pivoted to the sills A. A at d d, as shown, and the extended part WV is provided with a slot, h. In this sloth is secured the disk .10 by means of the bolt y. The disk at is prevented from turning around by means of the pin l. Below the disk AI} is the wheel m, pivoted to the stud t, the upper end of the stud t' being the bolt 3 of the disk .49.

The operation of my improved post-hole machine is as follows: The machine being placed in position, with the auger w w in position, power is applied to the sweep S, and motion is communicated to the auger-shaft U bythe spur and pinion wheels 0 N. As the auger revolves, the feed is regulated by the handcrank H and its connection until the anger is at its proper-depth. Then the miter-wheel P is thrown in gear with the miter-wheel P and the power of the horse'is-nsed to raise the auger, still revolving. As the anger is drawn up the inside rod U, with=-the twisted bit I), either drops oris'forced down,thus. giving I a supply of air'through the tube U and relieving the augerfronr all vacuum beneath it. After the-auger has'been removed thennachinery is movedahead'on' a line of-the fence by meansof the-windlass V V V and its connections, the proper' distance for another hole, and then'the'rollcr m is-adjusted in the 5 slot h ofthespacer W, so as to-fall'in-to'the hole already bored; and the next hole is'bored, and so 'on until-the last,'the roller m always falling into the last hole bored until there is another "one ready, and the disk .Wcovers'up the'hole, sothat the horse can travel over it.

What I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The adjustable crosshead F, provided with shaft-supporting boxes G, G G and Q, in the manner and for the purposes set tube U, perforated-with a slot, 1), near the top, and provided with two diamond-pointed angers, w 20', at the bottom, and the rod U connected with the lifter v, and having a twisted bit 12 at its lower end, the upper edges of'the twisted bit makingconnection-with notches or clutch in the bottom of the tube U,

so as-to revolve I with the tube in boring, as

set forth and described.

--4.-- In combination with a post-hole boring m achin-e, the :spacing attachments, consisting -ot'=thehinged extension-piece W,. provided with slotlb and; disk a, roller m and stud 6, all

arranged to operate and space oft distances -betweem holes,--substantially asset forth and described.

In-testimony whereof I'have "signed' my name to this-specification in the presence-of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED WHITE MORGAN.

Witnesses E. O.'FRINK, I E. O. WHITNEY. 

